A 4-month-old African elephant calf named Tuli has captured hearts worldwide after a video of her cuddling a giant stuffed sheep racked up over 47 million views on TikTok in just three days.
Tuli was rescued in November 2025 by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust after her mother was killed by poachers in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. The calf was found standing over her mother's body, dehydrated and barely responsive. She was airlifted to the Trust's Nairobi nursery the same day.
A Rough Start
Orphaned elephant calves are among the most difficult animals to rehabilitate. They're deeply social, emotionally complex, and rely on their mothers for warmth, comfort, and guidance for the first 2-3 years of life. Without intervention, orphaned calves rarely survive more than a few days.
Tuli struggled during her first weeks at the nursery. She refused bottles, was aggressive toward keepers, and spent long hours standing motionless in the corner of her enclosure. Night keepers reported she would trumpet softly in the dark, a distress call typically used by calves separated from their herd.
"She was shutting down," said head keeper Joseph Sauni. "We've seen it before with orphans. If you can't break through the grief, you lose them."
Enter the Sheep
On December 12, a shipment of donated toys arrived at the nursery from a children's charity in the UK. Among the boxes was a large plush sheep, roughly the size of a Labrador retriever, with a fluffy white body and cartoonish black face.
A keeper placed it in Tuli's enclosure on a whim. Within seconds, the calf walked over, wrapped her trunk around it, and pulled it against her chest. She stood there holding it for over 20 minutes without moving.
"I've been doing this for 11 years and I've never had a reaction like that," Sauni said. "She just latched on. From that moment, everything changed."
Tuli began eating. She started following keepers instead of avoiding them. She played in the mud baths with other orphans for the first time. And every night, she sleeps with the stuffed sheep tucked under her trunk.
The Viral Moment
A keeper filmed Tuli carrying the sheep in her trunk while splashing through a puddle on February 2. The clip was posted to the Trust's TikTok account with the caption "She won't go anywhere without her best friend." Within 72 hours, it had 47 million views, 8 million likes, and was covered by BBC, CNN, and every major wildlife outlet.
Donations to the Trust spiked 400% in the following week. The sheep, now simply called "Sheepy," has its own fan account with 200,000 followers.
Tuli is expected to remain at the Nairobi nursery for another 12-18 months before being transferred to a reintegration unit in Tsavo, where she'll gradually learn to live wild again alongside other rehabilitated elephants.
Sheepy, the keepers have confirmed, will be going with her.